Drug traffickers sentenced in OD death

EATON — Two area women have been sentenced to five years in prison for their role in delivering a fatal dose of heroin/fentanyl to 35-year-old Sabrina Bourne, who died of an overdose on April 6, 2016.

Dana Webb and Courtney Alspaugh each received the five-year sentence. Prosecuting Attorney Marty Votel had sought seven-year sentences in the case.

On April 6, 2016, Betty Miller found her 35-year-old daughter, Bourne, dead in the bed where she slept. Drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in her purse and by her bedside, according to Votel.

“A toxicology report would later confirm that Sabrina had died of acute fentanyl and heroin intoxication. Ms. Miller reported to the Sheriff’s Office that two known subjects had been to the house the previous evening and had met with Sabrina in the driveway for a short period of time,” Votel reported.

The investigation revealed Webb, 38, and Alspaugh, 30, both of Eaton, had been to the Bourne residence on April 5, 2016. Both suspects admitted being at the residence but denied delivering drugs, claiming instead they had visited Sabrina to collect money for a phone bill, according to Votel.

The Preble County Sheriff’s Office seized Sabrina’s phone, and the phones of both suspects, Votel said. “A search warrant was procured and a full analysis was completed on each of the phones,” he added.

“The text messages on the phones made clear what had happened: Sabrina wanted heroin and Webb indicated that she had some ‘fire,’ i.e. potent drugs, but that she had no way of delivering the drugs to Sabrina,” Votel said in a press release last week. “Webb suggested that Sabrina text Alspaugh to assure her that she would be paid gas money if she brought Webb to Bourne’s house. Alspaugh agreed, and she and Webb delivered the drugs to Bourne. After the delivery, Alspaugh texted Sabrina, asking if she was okay because ‘seven people had OD’d’ on the drug. Sabrina returned the text, confirming that she had used a small amount and agreeing that it was ‘fire.’”

It was the last text Sabrina would send, according to Votel.

A Preble County grand jury indicted Alspaugh and Webb in the aftermath of Sabrina Bourne’s death. Each defendant was charged with, among other crimes, aggravated trafficking in drugs, a felony of the fourth degree (for delivering the drug) and involuntary manslaughter, a felony of the first degree (for causing the death of Bourne as a direct and proximate result of the felony drug trafficking offense,) according to court records.

Each of the women pleaded guilty to the crimes as charged.

At sentencing, Webb and Alspaugh received the sentence of five years in prison, with the maximum available sentence being 11 years, under law. The State of Ohio, represented by the Preble County Prosecuting Attorney, had requested a sentence of seven years in each case.

“This is a tragic case because it involves the senseless death of a young woman, who was a daughter and mother,” Votel said. “Even more tragic is that such deaths are all too common in this age of rampant opiate addiction.”

“This is the first case of its kind in Preble County where law enforcement was able to prove the source of the drugs which led to an overdose death,” Votel said. “These cases are significant. They are significant because they bring justice to Sabrina Bourne’s family. But they are also important because they send a message to those who would sell heroin and other drugs in our community: evidence permitting, they will be held criminally accountable for the tragic results of their crimes.”